


Loved and Lost

by guardgirl15



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: But Mostly Smut, Daddy Issues, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Smut, No use of y/n, Porn with Feelings, Pre-Canon, Slow Burn, So much angst, Some kinky shit, The Author Regrets Nothing, Touch Starved Mando, bounty hunter buddies, heavy smut, mando is daddy, the author is obsessed with din djarin xoxo, this happens before the child, watch me make up shit about space, we finna be all up in our feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:21:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25661296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guardgirl15/pseuds/guardgirl15
Summary: Working as a bounty hunter to survive was not an easy occupation. Lucky for you, the Mandalorian sees your potential and takes you on as a partner in the business. Maybe someday, the two of you will become closer than just business partners.(A/N for clarity: reader is 19 and Mando is 22. This takes place years before The Child is introduced as the Mandalorian's quarry)
Relationships: Din Djarin/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/You
Kudos: 49





	1. Join Me.

Squeezing the tracking fob tightly in your hand, you progressed toward the quarry with your heart fluttering in your throat. You couldn't mess this one up. The last time you'd had a job on Corellia, your quarry managed to escape on a freighter, leaving you to explain to your boss what happened. There had been mistakes since that unfortunate trip a year ago, but you had learned from each of them and were determined to do better. Unfortunately, your boss didn't see things that way. Before he gave you this job, he informed you that if there were any more mistakes, you'd need a different form of employment-- if you got away with your life, that is. Focus, you urged yourself, scanning the large shipyard for your quarry: a middle-aged male Twi'lek. 

There! You spotted him standing near some boxes about twenty meters ahead of you, talking to another Twi. You adjusted the neckline of your shirt so that it hung a little lower, fixed your hair, and applied some lipstick within the span of thirty seconds. Your tactic for this particular quarry was to lure him in with your beauty, then go for the capture. Stuffing the fob in your back pocket, you advanced toward him, swinging your hips a bit as you walked. It worked; the quarry's attention was immediately drawn to you. 

"What have we here?" he rasped, looking your body up and down. Although he made you want to squirm, you kept up the facade for the time being. You wanted to kick his ass, but first you had to get close enough to capture him. "Such a pretty little thing," he continued, "out here all by yourself?"

You stopped a few feet in front of him, batting your eyelashes. "I know," you murmured, "if only I had a big strong man like you to take care of me." You reached out, trailing your fingers down his arm. Grinning, he beckoned you closer to him. This was it-- now you just had to remain calm. Everything depended upon your performance during these next few moments, and you were not about to ruin everything by being careless. Standing up on your tiptoes, you wrapped an arm around his shoulders and whispered in his ear, "I bet a guy like you could show me a thing or two." Feeling him shiver under your hold, you knew you had him wrapped around your finger. 

Removing your arm, you started to walk toward an abandoned section of the shipyard, beckoning him to follow without looking back. You were certain that he would follow, the footsteps behind you an indicator that he was, in fact, following. Once you had reached the abandoned sector, you turned around, backing yourself against a wall. Sure enough, the Twi'lek was right there with you. Unable to resist the temptation of you flush against the wall, he pushed his body against yours and gripped your ass, pulling your hips into his. You squeaked in surprise, but luckily he must have thought that you were into it because he kept going. Wrapping one hand around the back of his neck, you focused on getting the tranquilizer dart in your other hand without alerting the quarry. It was a success, and soon your hand was poised over his exposed neck, ready to knock the fucker out. 

Just as you were about to strike, the Twi'lek stiffened, then fell to the ground in a heap. Furrowing your brow, you surveyed the scene. If you hadn't knocked him out, who had? You spotted a tall man in Beskar armor walking toward you and the quarry, and that question was immediately answered. It was a Mandalorian. "Hey!" you shouted, "that one was mine!"

The man ignored your protests, continuing to walk towards the quarry. You then noticed that he was also carrying a tracking fob. "What the hell, Mando! I had him, go find yourself another bounty." The Mandalorian stopped a few feet in front of you, seemingly surveying you behind the helmet they all wore. "I had him," you repeated, pulling a blaster from its spot on your thigh. 

"I shot him," crackled a modulated voice. You realized it was coming from the Mandalorian, and he didn't seem like the type to back down easily. 

"No way!" you spluttered, "I lured him away and was about to strike! This quarry is obviously mine, and I'm not about to hand him over to some tin can." Hands on your hips, you peered up at your reflection in his visor, trying to look menacing. It didn't really work-- you still looked like a hooker due to the strategies you employed to hunt bounties. Lure them in with your beauty, then strike fast. 

The Mandalorian sighed. "I have a suggestion. We both bring him in to my employer on my ship, and we split the bounty. Equally." 

Was this guy being serious? "No way!" you argued, "if I don't bring him back to my boss, I'll either be killed or have to look for a new method of employment. You're crazy if you think I'm gonna split it with you, I need this bounty to survive. Now leave me alone, I'm taking him with me," you said sharply, stepping forward and shoving both hands into the Mandalorian's chest. Unsurprisingly, he didn't move an inch. 

"Look," he said, "I could use a good bounty hunter like you. If I cover fuel, give you a place to sleep, and pay you half, will you join me? I like the way that you hunt, and I think together we'd be able to catch a wide variety of bounties. Join me."

You stood there, weighing your options. On one hand, he had his own ship, a luxury that you had yet to afford. He also seemed to have stable connections, and you were guaranteed not to starve if you went with him. On the other hand, if you failed to show up with the quarry, your boss might send people after you. It was a risk you were willing to take. "I'm in," you said, sticking out your hand. "But you have to carry the bastard to your ship." The two of you shook on it, and thus began your adventures with the Mandalorian.


	2. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are a bit awkward between you and Mando as you travel together on his ship, since the two of you do lowkey hate each other. Picks up right after chapter one.
> 
> Sorry it took me so long to update, doing school and work full time (at the same time) is not ideal. I would love for y'all to comment feedback! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: sexual harassment, sexual assault

After hauling the quarry onto the Mandalorian's ship-- which you learned was called the Razor Crest-- the two of you tried to stay out of each other's way as much as possible. Unfortunately, it was not a very large ship. With the quarry down in the cargo area and Mando in the cockpit, there wasn't much room for you to have a place to yourself. You were able to find an unused storage closet that was big enough for you to lay down in, which would be useful for when you wanted to sleep later. After exploring the Razor Crest for a while, you were able to determine that there was a cockpit, cargo hold, fresher, a few storage closets, a small scullery, and a locked door that you assumed was Mando's quarters. _Of course he gets to sleep in a real bed_ , you complained inwardly. Oh well, at least now you had a mode of transportation other than hitchhiking around. That would be worth sleeping on the floor, without a doubt. 

You could tolerate the minor inconveniences of sleeping on the floor and sharing a rather small space with someone you knew next to nothing about. That was doable. What you could not tolerate, though, was the hours of silence that encompassed you. Mando did not seem like a talker from your initial interaction, and you were honestly a little bit apprehensive of going up into the cockpit. However, it was the only place on the Razor Crest that you had not yet explored (besides the locked door, of course). Soon enough, the need for interaction with another living being outweighed your apprehension and you found yourself climbing the ladder to the cockpit. 

The first thing that struck you about the cockpit was the stars rushing toward you through the windows as the Crest hurtled through space at unimaginable speeds. Cold blue, bright white, and pale gold streaks seemed to flow around you as you took a small step forward into the cockpit. It was breathtaking, and you never wanted to leave. You had never experienced space travel from the cockpit of a ship before, whenever you were able to hitch a ride with someone your place was usually somewhere in the lower levels of the spacecraft. Peering out at the stars, all of your earlier concerns about interrupting the Mandalorian melted away in the beauty of the moment. Breathless, you plopped down in the seat next to Mando.

After a moment, you were finally able to speak. "It's so beautiful up here," you half-whispered, still in awe of the cosmos around you. 

"I never noticed," Mando rasped, turning his chair slightly toward you. It was obvious that he was watching you, but you didn't care. 

"That's a shame," you responded, "if I had the opportunity to see them all the time I'd never look away. I've never seen anything more beautiful than this." It almost felt like you could reach out and touch the stars, but you figured it would be silly to say something like that out loud.

Mando cleared his throat, swiveling his chair so that he faced you. "You're welcome to come up here as much as you like, just don't touch anything." After a moment, he added, "I know the ship isn't much. Did you find somewhere you can put your things?"

You fought the urge to roll your eyes. "Yeah. There's an empty storage closet that's big enough for me to lay down in, I'll just have to find some blankets and it'll work fine." He nodded and turned his chair back towards the engine controls. You could tell that he was done talking, and although it wasn't a lengthy conversation, it did satisfy your need for interpersonal connection for the time being. Besides, it was the longest conversation you'd held with Mando so far, which felt like an achievement. Although it would be easier if the two of you were more friendly towards each other, being allowed in the cockpit would do for now.

Taking one last look at the stars, you stood up from your chair and quietly left the cockpit. You'd never really had the luxury of a regular eating schedule, but your stomach was telling you that it could use some food pretty soon. Making your way to the small scullery, you decided to cook a meal for Mando and yourself. Even though you didn't particularly like him after he had stolen your quarry, you figured making him a meal would be a decent peace offering for the time being. After rustling around in the cabinets for a bit, you were able to put on some ration packets for the both of you. It definitely wasn't ideal; one of the first things you'd be buying would be some fresh ingredients. After all, you'd definitely be able to afford it making half of whatever the Mandalorian made.

Humming to yourself, you carried Mando's portion up to the cockpit. Although you didn't know much about the Mandalorian Creed, you did know that they had some superstition about removing their helmets in front of others, which probably meant that having you around would make his life more difficult. You supposed that cooking him dinner was the least you could do, even if you were still rather annoyed with him at the moment. At least you'd be able to catch another glimpse of those beautiful stars while you gave him his food.

Mando didn't bother to look at you as you entered, instead focusing on the controls in front of him. For the sake of your pride, you really didn't want to talk to the back of his helmet, especially if you just made him dinner out of the kindness of your heart. You cleared your throat, and finally he turned around. "I brought you some dinner," you said, stating the obvious. 

He nodded, reaching out his hand for the plate of steaming ration. "Thanks," Mando mumbled as you set it in his gloved hand. 

"When are you planning on stopping for supplies?" you asked, "I'm in need of some blankets and new clothes, since I didn't really have time to grab anything when we left Corellia. I also want to get some better ingredients to cook with, if we can."

"We can do a supply run after we drop off the quarry," responded the Mandalorian. 

That reminded you of a question you had wanted to ask him earlier. "What happens when the quarry wakes up? He's not exactly tied down in there, and don't you have a carbonite freezer you can use?" Well, maybe you had a couple questions you wanted to ask Mando.

He didn't respond right away, instead looking you over behind the guise of his helmet. Finally, the Mandalorian had the audacity to respond, "the quarry is none of your concern." Judging by his crossed arms and stiff posture, you could tell that he was a little annoyed with you for asking.

However, that just wasn't going to cut it for you. "None of my concern?" you repeated, outraged. "I'm pretty sure I did most of the work capturing that son of a bitch, so like hell it's none of my concern!" Fuming, you locked your eyes with the visor of the Mandalorian's helmet, unwilling to lose this argument. Unsurprisingly, Mando didn't say anything in response to your outburst, which only served to aggravate you further. "Enjoy your meal," you snapped, throwing your hands up in the air out of frustration as you stalked out of the cockpit. If Mando wanted to be a pain in your neck, so be it.

Deciding a hot shower would be a good way to alleviate some of your frustration, you made your way to the refresher-- making sure to slam the door loud enough that the Mandalorian would hear. You couldn't peel off your grimy, dust-streaked clothes faster as you waited for the water to warm up. It had been too long since you'd had a proper shower with hot water; in most places the only option available was to use a sonic shower. At last, you stepped into the small shower and let the water wash away your worries. The hot steam felt blissful against your skin, and soon you became lost in thought. 

_What if this whole deal with the Mandalorian doesn't work out? Where will I go then?_ You wondered as you washed your hair. It wasn't easy fending for yourself out in the galaxy as a young woman; there were always plenty of nasty men more than happy to take advantage of you. Out there by yourself, it was kill or be killed but maybe if your partnership with the Mandalorian worked out, life could be a little more bearable. _But if things don't work out, I'll be no better off than before-- living from quarry to quarry and always trying to stay one step ahead of everyone else._ You decided, then and there, that you'd be better off with the Mandalorian than without him, even if he did annoy the living kriff out of you. 

It wasn't until you had turned off the water and stepped out of the shower that you realized: you didn't have a change of clothes. You figured wrapping a towel around your middle would have to suffice for now; maybe the Mandalorian had some spare clothes you could borrow until you could stop for a supply run. Humming to yourself, you stood in front of the small mirror and dried your hair with another towel. It shouldn't have seemed weird to you that your business partner-- who never took off his helmet-- would have a mirror, but somehow it did. 

A loud thumping at the door made you flinch, and you immediately stopped humming. "M-Mando? Is that you?" you called out, suddenly apprehensive. Wrapping the towel tighter around yourself, you reached for the handle just before the fresher door was kicked in, sending you flying into the opposite wall. Stars flashed across your vision as you stared at the ceiling in shock-- but these weren't stars you wanted to be seeing. Dazed, you attempted to sit up and face whoever had thrown you across the refresher. Heavy footsteps thumped towards you, and you realized, too late, that it was the Twi'lek quarry that you and the Mandalorian had captured earlier. Your lagging mind struggled to comprehend what was happening as he strode towards you, snarling. Finally, instinct kicked in and you started screaming and swinging-- from the floor of the refresher-- as he was attempting to rip the towel off of you.

"You little bitch," he growled, "luring me in like that." You continued to scream and claw at his face, until he caught your wrists and pinned them down above your head with one of his hands. "I'm going to have my way with you now, and I can promise there won't be much left of you afterwards!" 

" _Mandooo_ ," you wailed, "PLEASE, HELP ME!" Tears streamed down your face as you struggled against the Twi'lek, but there was nothing you could do as he slid his filthy hand to the top of your towel. Finally, as the quarry slithered his hand down the front of your towel and was about to rip it free, the bastard was yanked off of you by none other than the Mandalorian. To your surprise, the bounty hunter whipped out his blaster and shot the Twi'lek point blank through the face, assurance that you'd never be bothered by him again. The Mandalorian then grabbed the quarry under the arms and dragged him off to the cargo hold, leaving you alone on the refresher floor.

As your adrenaline began to wear off, you started to process what had just happened and it was too much for you. Pulling the towel tighter around your waist, you curled up onto your side and let your body shake with silent sobs. Footsteps alerted you to the Mandalorian's return, but you were unable to look at him. He paused, likely wondering what to do about your pitiful form curled up on the floor, crying. After a moment, his footsteps continued and you heard him crouch down beside you. Mando laid a gloved hand on your forearm, and you peered up at him through teary eyes, sniffling. 

"Are you going to be all right?" he asked, his tone concerned. Unable to respond, you gave him a small shrug while your body trembled like a leaf under his hand. "Come on, I've got some clothes that might fit you." The Mandalorian took you by the elbows and helped you up, and his touch was gentle as he led you toward his quarters. 

After punching in a code, he took you inside the small room and went through a drawer, likely looking for something that would be small enough to fit you. He presented a dark T-shirt that looked a little too small to fit him, and a pair of his shorts. "Here, put these on." You waited for him to leave the room but he didn't, instead he shut the door and turned away from you.

"C-can you..." you stuttered, voice hoarse. You really didn't want to be more vulnerable than you already were in front of another man. 

"No. I'm not going to leave you alone right now, considering what just happened. I promise I won't look; I swear it on the Creed." True to his word, he didn't turn around to face you until you let him know that you were decent. When he did turn to look at you, he was greeted by the sight of you shivering in his clothes, obviously trying not to cry. He sighed, then stepped closer, placing his gloved hands on your forearms. "I'm sorry," he said, "I should've listened to you about the quarry. This is my fault." 

Sniffling, you nodded in acknowledgement to his apology. You weren't ready to forgive him just yet, but you were grateful to him for rescuing you. The Mandalorian must've finally noticed you shivering, because he gestured for you to sit down on the small bed inside his quarters. You gladly accepted, taking the blanket he offered and wrapping it around yourself. He took a seat next to you, and a slightly awkward silence ensued, broken only by your occasional sniffle. However angry you might be with Mando at the moment, you were still glad for his companionship. You really didn't want to be alone right now, all things considered.

Surprisingly enough, the Mandalorian ended up speaking first. "Thank you for the dinner," he rasped, almost hesitantly. "It was good." The compliment caught you off guard, but it was a welcome distraction from the evening's excitement.

You cleared your throat. "You're welcome," you deadpanned. Recent events had left you utterly drained, and all you wanted at that point was to fall into a deep, deep sleep. Even thinking about sleep had you yawning, and to his credit, the Mandalorian noticed. 

He stood up from his spot next to you on the bed. "You should get some sleep." After a brief pause, he added, "use my bed for now. Just until we can stop for supplies." Nodding your thanks, you crawled under his covers before he could change his mind. "I'll be in the cockpit if you need anything," said the Mandalorian before shutting the door on his way out, leaving you in total darkness. 

Unsurprisingly, his bed smelled like him: a mix of leather, gun oil, and something else you couldn't quite place. It wasn't a bad smell, though, and it was almost comforting to you as your eyelids drooped and sleep became close at hand. The last thought that crossed your mind before sleep overtook you was that maybe the Mandalorian wasn't so bad-- maybe someday your partnership could become a little less dysfunctional.


End file.
